Roof ventilators



March 28, 1967 n- ET AL 3,311,047

ROOF VENTILATORS Filed April 12, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOQS LESTEF?L. SMITH FRANK E. RANDALL March 28, 1967 L. SMITH ET AL ROOF VENTILATORS2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed April 12, 1965 INVENORS LESTER L. SMITH FQANK E.RANDALL United States Patent Ofiice 3,311,047 Patented Mar. 28, 19673,311,047 RUQF VENTILATORS Lester L. Slmith, Peoria, Ill. (R0. Box 68,Princeville, Ill. 61559), and Frank E. Randall, Peoria, Ill.; saidRandall assignor to said Smith Filed Apr. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 447,182 7Claims. (til. 98-42) This invention relates to roof ventilators, andmore particularly to ventilators of the type adapted to be mounted onand to extend along the exterior surface of the ridge of a roof toprovide for the flow of air to and from the space in a buildingimmediately below the roof.

One of the objects is to provide a roof ventilator for ridge mountingwhich has louvered vent openings in opposed side wall portions andwherein internal baffles are utilized to improve weather protectionwithout unduly restricting air flow through the ventilator.

As another object, this invention has within its purview the provisionof a roof ventilator having an internal baffle in spaced and opposedrelationship to vent openings in the ventilator, which bafiie isintegrally formed as a part of the ventilator structure.

Our invention further comprehends the provision of a roof ventilatorstructure wherein vent openings are provided in opposed downwardly andinwardly sloping side walls and baffles extend upwardly near theopenings both internally and externally of the ventilator.

It is another object of this invention to provide a ventilator formounting on a roof ridge and which has an internal baflle extendingupwardly in spaced and opposed relationship to vent openings in a wallof the ventilator and wherein weep holes are provided between the saidbaffle and wall for the drainage of moisture from the interior of theventilator.

This invention has for another object the provision of a ventilatoradapted to be mounted on the ridge of a roof and wherein the ventilatorwalls, internal baflies and flashing elements are integrally formed fromsheet material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the application of apreferred embodiment of our roof ventilator to the ridge of a buildingroof;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective end sectional view drawn to a largerscale than FIG. 1 and showing details of the structure of the ventilatordepicted in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary end sectional views illustrating theadaptation of modified forms of our roof ventilators to the roofs ofbuildings.

In the exemplary embodiments of our invention which are shown in theaccompanying drawings for illustrative purposes, roof ventilators (FIGS.1 and 2), 12 (FIG. 3) and 13 (FIG. 4) are each shown as being mounted toextend along the ridge of a roof of a building 15. As is typical inbuilding structure, the roof 14 has rafters 16 and 17 in spacedrelationship longitudinal of the roof and sloping upwardly on oppositesides of the roof ridge and abutted together along the ridge. Therafters have roofing boards 18 secured to the top surfaces thereof. Whenventilators of the type illustrated herein are to be used on a roof, aslot 19 is left between the roofing boards at the roof ridge to providefor the flow of air through the ventilator and to and from the interiorof the building immediately beneath the roof. Roofing, such as shingles20 covers the roofing boards from a position near the slot 19, so thatthe roof will shed water.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ventilator 10 extends along the roofridge and covers the slot 19. The ventilator disclosed is symmetrical inform and structure on opposite sides of a vertical longitudinal planewhich passes through the roof ridge line. Although ventilators of thetype disclosed herein may be made of various materials, the structuresdepicted are of a type suitable for manufacture from sheet metal, suchas aluminum. It embodies a top cover part 22 which, in the presentinstance, is smoothly curved from side to side with the major portion ofthe mid-region thereof being generally arcuate. Side wall portions 23and 24 are integral with the top cover part 22 and extend downwardly andinwardly from the opposite sides thereof, so that a generally acuteangular relationship exists betweenthe side wall portions and adjacentparts of the top cover portion. Bafiles 25 and 26 are integrally formedalong the inner edges of the side wall portions 23 and 24 by bending thesheet metal upwardly. The sheet material of the baflle, in the disclosedstructure is return-bent along straight lines to provide top edges 27and 28 on the baffles 25 and 26 at desired heights within the ventilatorstructure, and so that flashing portions 29 and 30 may be integrallyformed with the rest of the ventilator parts to extend outwardly anddownwardly from the bottoms of the baflies adjacent or near the inneredges of the side wall portions 23 and 24. The flashing portions 29 and30 may be flexed or bent at the time of installation to match the pitchof the roof upon which the ventilator is installed. The spacing of thebafiles 27 and 28 from one another laterally of the ventilator desirablyconforms to the width of the slot 19, so that when the ventilator ismounted over the slot the bafiies are in generally flush relationship tothe edges of the roofing boards 18 which define the slot.

The side wall portions 23 and 24 have a multiplicity of vent holes 32therein, which vent holes, in the disclosed structure, are each coveredby a louver 33. The louvers, in the ventilator depicted in FIG. 2, areeach integrally formed with one of the side wall portions, and eachprojects upwardly from its side wall portion into the ventilatorstructure and outwardly from the mid-region of the structure. Also asdisclosed herein, the vent openings and louvers are arranged in rowsextending laterally of the ventilator structure, and the rows arerepeated in spaced relationship longitudinally of the ventilator.

Interiorally of the ventilator, the spacing between the top edges 27 and28 of the bafiles 25 and 26 and the top cover portion 22 is sufficientto avoid restriction of air flow between the slot 19 and the ventopenings 32. For maximum and most effective weather protection, thebaffles 25 and 26 extend to a height within the ventilator which isabove the height of the uppermost vent openings. As a general rule,changes of the direction of air fiow within the ventilator tend toreduce the moisture content of the air. This accounts for thedisposition of the louvers 33 and the placement of the baflles withinthe ventilator structure illustrated in FIG. 2. The baffles 25 and 26serve the purpose of preventing the flow of collected moisture withinthe ventilator to and through the slot 19. Weep holes 34 are provided atspaced positions along the side wall portions 23 and 24 adjacent thebaffles 25 and 26 for the flow of moisture to the outside of theventilator.

The top courses of shingles 20' on opposite sides of the slot 19 areplaced sufiiciently close to the slot 19 to be overlapped by theflashing portions 29 and 30. The ventilator is secured to the roof byfastening means, such as nails 35 driven through the outer margins ofthe flashing portions and passing through the shingles 20 into theroofing boards 18.

If one cut length of the ventilator is not sufficient to extend the fulllength of the roof to which it is applied, one ormore additional lengthsare butted together.

'Plugs (not shown) which fit snugly into the interior of the abuttedends and which are made of a relatively stiff flexible material are usedto adjoin the ends. For additional protection sheet metal caps 36 whichconform to the outer surface of the ventilator are placed over theventilator to cover the abutted ends. Also, such plugs are utilized toclose the ventilator at its opposite ends.

' In the modified forms of the ventilator shown in FIGS. 3. and 4,thetop cover portions 22a and 22b and the side wall portions 23a and23b, 24a and 24b have section-a1 configurations such that together theyhave the general contour of a segment of a circular cylinder. As in theform illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ventilators of FIGS. 3 and 4 aresymmetrical with respect to a central longitudinal plane extending alongthe roof ridge. The top cover portions'22a and 22b extend to positionsat or below ahorizontal longitudinal plane passing through the center ofcurvature, so that the side wall portions 23a, 23b,

24a, and 24b each extend downwardly and inwardly therefrom. Like thestructure of the ventilator of FIGS. 1 and 2, the side walls each have amultiplicity of vent holes 32a and 32b therein, which vent holes areeach covered by louvers 33a and 33b. The vent holes 32a and 32b and thelouvers 33a and 33b may be disposed in rows and the rows repeated atspaced intervals longitudinally of the ventilator.

In the ventilator shownin FIG. 3, the louvers 33a extend outwardly anddownwardly relative to the respective side walls 23a and 24a of theventilator. In the form shown in FIG. 4, the louvers 33b extend inwardlyand downwardly with respect to their respective side walls 23b and 24b.The bafiies 25 and 26, the flashing portions 29 and 30 and the weepholes 34 of the ventilators shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are like thoseillustrated and described with-respectto FIGS. 1 and 2 and have likerelationships with other parts of the ventilators, so that it may beconsidered that parts bearing the same reference numerals are .alike andperform similar functions in each of the ventilator forms disclosed.

While each of the ventilators disclosed herein is adapted to effectiveuse without any exterior baflles, the efliciency and weatherproofing ofeach may be improved by additionalexterior baflies 37 and 33 whichextend upwardly from the outer edges of the flashing portions 29 and 30at positions spaced laterally from the side extremities of the topcoverportion and side wall portions of the ventilator.

The upward extending and outwardly projecting upper marginal portions 39and 40 on each of the battles tends to deflect air upwardly and over thetop of the ventilator, so that low pressure regions are formed onopposite sides of the ventilator adjacent the openings therein. Thebaflies 37 and 38 also have a tendency to reduce the amount ofwind-driven rain or snow which is brought into direct contact with thelouvers over the vent openings. While the baflles 37 and 38 which aredisclosed herein may be'made as an integral part of the flashingportions 29. and 30, the baflles disclosed have bottom flange portions42 and 43 respectively which underlie the outer margins of the flashingportions 29 and 30 and are secured in place by the nails which securethe venti later to the roof.

From the foregoing description and by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, it may be understood that the ventilators "herein disclosedare not only adapted to be integrally formed from strips of sheetmaterial, but are also constructed and arranged to provide eflicient andeffective ventilation with adequate weather protection. The relationshipand placement of the internal batfles with respect to inwardly anddownwardly sloping side portions is such that the baffles afford weatherprotection in addition to that provided by the louvers which extend overeach vent opening. The internal baflles also function in directing theflow of moisture inside of the ventilator to the weep holes, throughwhich such moisture passes to the exterior of the ventilator.

It is understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrativeof the preferred embodiment of the invention and that the scope of theinvention therefore is not to be limited thereto, but is to bedetermined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A roof ventilator adapted to integral production from strip stock asa roll formed section and to mounting over a slot of predetermined widthextending along the ridge of a roof, said ventilator comprising, incombination, an imperforate top having a width greater than that of saidslot and side portions extending outwardly and downwardly on oppositesides of a longitudinal central plane, side wall portions integrallyadjoined to the outer lateral extremities of the top and extendingdownwardly and inwardly therefrom to positions spaced apartapproximately the width of said slot, said side Wall portions havinginte grally louvered vent openings therein, flashing portions extendingoutwardly at the lower ends of said side wall portions and adjoinedthereto through double thickness bafiles which extend upwardly and haveadjacent planar parts in face-to-face relationship to one another andadjacent edge regions integrally adjoined respectively to said side wallportions and flashing portions, said baffles being disposed between theside walls in spaced and opposed relationship to one another and inspaced relationship to the louvered vent openings.

2. A roof ventilator as defined in claim 1, and wherein said top islaterally curved and said side wall portions are generally planar, andsaid side wall portions are in acute angular relationship to oppositeside regions of said top and also to the exposed exterior parts of saidflashing portions.

3. A roof ventilator as defined in claim 1, and wherein said bafiies arereturn bends at the tops thereof and are disposed in relatively parallelplanes.

4. A roof ventilator as defined in claim 1, and wherein the spacebetween said baffles defines a throat in the ventilator whichcommunicates with said slot in the roof, and said side wall portionshaving weep holes therein adjacent the bottoms of the baffles throughwhich moisture can pass from the interior to the exterior of theventilator.

5. A roof ventilator as defined in claim 1, and wherein said top andside wall portions together have the general sectional configuration ofa segment of a circle having a bottom slot-type opening betweenlaterally opposed halves and the width of which opening is generally thesame as that of said slot in the roof over which the ventilator isadapted to be mounted, and wherein said top is substantiallysemicircular.

6. A roof ventilator adapted to integral production from strip stock tocommunicate with and cover a slot of predetermined width extending alongthe ridge of a roof and comprising, in combination, a top cover portionwider than the predetermined width of said slot and side wall portionsintegrally adjoined and symmetrically disposed with reference to alongitudinal central plane, said side wall portions extending downwardlyand inwardly from opposite sides of the top cover portion to positionsspaced apart laterally of the ventilator by an amount generally equal tosaid predetermined slot width, said side wall portions having ventopenings therein, means extending outwardly from the lower edges of saidside wall portions in gradually increasing spaced relationship to saidside wall portions for securing the ventilator to the roof on oppositesides of said slot, and baflies having portions in face-tofacerelationship and which are respectively integral with the side wallportions and said means extending outward- 1y from the lower edges ofthe side wall portions, which batfles extend upwardly between said sidewall portions at the lower edges of the side wall portions.

7. A roof ventilator as defined in claim 6, and wherein said side wallportions have weep holes therein adjacent 5 6 the outer surfaces of saidbafiies which provide fer the 3,073,235 1/ 1963 Smith et a1 9832 escapeof moisture from the interior of the ventilator. 3,079,853 3/ 1963 Smith98-42 3,213,776 10/1965 Adams 9842 References Cited by the Examiner3,241,474 966 Rousey et a1. 98-42 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGNPATENTS 11/1906 Lyster. 915,634 1/ 1963 Great Britain.

4/1919 Wickstrom. 10/1940 Seymour. vROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examzner.

8/1954 Knutsonet a1 98-42 10 W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A ROOF VENTILLATOR ADAPTED TO INTERGRAL PRODUCTION FROM STRIP STOCKAS A ROLL FORMED SECTION AND TO MOUNTING OVER A SLOT OF PREDETERMINEDWITH EXTENDING ALONG THE RIDGE OF A ROOF, SAID VENTILATOR COMPRISING, INCOMBINATION, AN IMPERFORATE TOP HAVING A WIDTH GREATER THAN THAT OF SAIDSLOT AND SIDE PORTIONS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY ON OPPOSITESIDES OF A LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PLANE, SIDE WALL PORTIONS INTEGRALLYADJOINED TO THE OUTER LATERAL EXTREMITIES OF THE TOP AND EXTENDINGDOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY THEREFROM TO POSITIONS SPACED APARTAPPROXIMATELY THE WIDTH OF SAID SLOT, SAID SIDE WALL PORTIONS HAVINGINTEGRALLY LOUVERED VENT OPENINGS THEREIN, FLASHING PORTIONS EXTENDINGOUTWARDLY AT THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALL PORTIONS AND ADJOINEDTHERETO THROUGH DOUBLE THICKNESS BAFFLES WHICH EXTEND UPWARDLY AND HAVEADJACENT PLANAR PARTS IN FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER ANDADJACENT EDGE REGIONS INTEGRALLY ADJOINED RESPECTIVELY TO SAID SIDE WALLPORTIONS AND FLASHING PORTIONS, SAID BAFFLES BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THESIDE WALLS IN SPACED AND OPPOSED RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER AND INSPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE LOUVERED VENT OPENINGS.